Ocean Grove was founded in 1869 as an outgrowth of the camp meeting movement in the United States, when a group of Methodist clergymen, led by William B. Osborn and Ellwood H. Stokes, formed the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association to develop and operate a summer camp meeting site on the New Jersey seashore.[12] By the early 20th century, the popular Christian meeting ground became known as the "Queen of Religious Resorts."[13] The community's land is still owned by the camp meeting association and leased to individual homeowners and businesses. Ocean Grove remains the longest-active camp meeting site in the United States.[14]

On July 31, 1869, Reverend W. B. Osborn, Reverend Stokes, and other Methodist ministers camped at a shaded, well-drained spot on New Jersey's seashore and decided to establish a permanent Christian camp meeting community called "Ocean Grove."[15] About twenty tents were pitched that summer. By the following year paths were being graded, lots were sold, and plans were set in motion for a new town.[16] In the summer of 1870, near the site of the first tabernacle, a well was dug to provide fresh water. It was named the "Beersheba" well, for an ancient well used by the Biblical patriarchs Abraham and Isaac, and is still in existence.[12]

Drawing from the major population centers of New York City and Philadelphia, Ocean Grove soon became a popular destination during the growth of the camp meeting movement in post-Civil War America. Tents and an open-air wooden shelter, or tabernacle, were erected in the 1870s, for the trainloads of visitors arriving by the New York and Long Branch Railroad after 1875. In 1877 alone, 710,000 railroad tickets were sold for the Ocean Grove-Asbury Park train station.[12]

The first tabernacle in 1876

– Harper's Monthly

Postcard of Ocean Grove Railroad Station, dated 1908

The "North End Hotel" had 255 rooms and a saltwater pool

A second, larger tabernacle was built in the 1880s, and permanent structures began to be constructed. Streets were paved and some were given Biblical names, such as "Pilgrim Pathway" and "Mt. Tabor Way".

As Ocean Grove drew more and more visitors, the second tabernacle was also outgrown, and construction of the present Great Auditorium was completed in 1894. Originally designed to accommodate crowds of as many as 10,000 people, the subsequent installation of theater-style cushioned seating in many sections reduced seating capacity to 6,250.[17] It remains Ocean Grove's most prominent structure and the centerpiece of its summer programs (see more about the Auditorium further down the page). By the early 20th century, said The New York Times in 1986, it was called the "Queen of Religious Resorts ... Visitors would travel miles to bask in the Victorian seaside splendor and to attend engaging, extroverted religious ceremonies. Millions of people, tourists and pilgrims both, made the trip to Ocean Grove every summer."[13] The social disillusionment around 1920 following World War I had a profound effect on Ocean Grove and church going in general. There was a decline in interest in camp meeting type activities and there was little in the way of new construction in the town after this time. One result was that Ocean Grove became a time capsule of late Victorian and early 20th century architecture.

Until Ocean Grove's municipal authority was folded into Neptune Township in 1981, it boasted a set of unique laws, including one that made it illegal on Sundays to have cars on the streets of Ocean Grove. This had a significant effect on the development of a close-knit community. People looking to get away for the weekend typically avoided the Grove (the beach was closed on Sunday, too). That meant the visitors were likely to be coming for a week-long visit or more. Most came to attend programs sponsored by the Camp Meeting.

In 1975, Ocean Grove was designated a State and National Historic District as a 19th-century planned, urban, community. It has the most extensive collection of Victorian and early-20th century architecture in the United States.[12]

During the 1960s–1980s, the town declined along with much of the New Jersey seashore, and was pejoratively called "Ocean Grave" due to the general air of decrepitude and the elderly population.[18] But beginning in the 1990s, and through 2006, Ocean Grove experienced a dramatic increase in property values and a considerable revival in fortune, particularly with the restoration of older hotel structures, many of which had deteriorated into single room occupancy ("SRO") quarters. Also – as part of this resurgence – a number of sidewalk cafés and shops along Main Avenue (the main business thoroughfare) now cater to visitors and seasonal residents.

Plans were announced in 2006 for a major new hotel and condominium development on property which has been vacant since the 1970s, when the old North End Hotel – once Ocean Grove's largest – was damaged by fire and subsequently demolished in 1980.[19] These plans have become controversial though, and in January 2008 the Planning Board of Neptune stated the North End Redevelopment Proposal was "inconsistent with the town's Master Plan".[20]

According to the United States Census Bureau, Ocean Grove had a total area of 0.428 square miles (1.109 km2), including 0.372 square miles (0.964 km2) of it is land and 0.056 square miles (0.145 km2) of water (13.05%) is water.[1][21]

There were 1,948 households out of which 7.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.0% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 68.4% were non-families. 57.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.64 and the average family size was 2.56.[3]

In the CDP, the population was spread out with 8.1% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 38.9% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52.7 years. For every 100 females there were 83.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 80.6 males.[3]

There were 2,331 households out of which 10.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.6% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 66.3% were non-families. 56.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.67 and the average family size was 2.59.[23]

In the CDP the population was spread out with 9.9% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 24.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.1 males.[23]

The median income for a household in the CDP was $31,935, and the median income for a family was $58,583. Males had a median income of $38,389 versus $31,886 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,232. About 5.1% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.[23]

The desire to develop a Christian seaside community for summer worship and relaxation led William B. Osborn (1832–1902), a leader of the camp meeting movement in mid-19th century America, to select the site of present-day Ocean Grove for its wooded, mosquito-free location.[12]Ellwood H. Stokes (October 10, 1815 – July 16, 1895), a Methodist minister from Philadelphia, and others joined together to purchase a square mile of land fronting on the Atlantic Ocean. A state charter was issued to the newly formed Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association on March 3, 1870, granting the 26 trustees (13 ministers and 13 lay persons) the authority to purchase and hold the one square mile of real estate comprising Ocean Grove, and to construct and maintain all necessary works to supply the town with utilities and other municipal services, including law enforcement.[12]

Later, efforts to establish a separate borough of Ocean Grove were attempted many times. Ocean Grove was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 5, 1920, from portions of Neptune Township, but the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals ruled the municipality unconstitutional on May 12, 1921, and the borough was dissolved as of June 16, 1921.[24]

Although Ocean Grove reverted to being a part of Neptune Township with the court's decision of 1921, the Camp Meeting Association continued to exercise local ordinance enforcement powers until 1981, when a newspaper deliverer successfully sued to end the resort's blue law banning Sunday vehicular traffic and requiring it to disband its police force and "municipal" court.[25] The Camp Meeting still owns all the land in town and leases it to homeowners and businesses for 99-year renewable terms.[12] The Camp Meeting Association currently keeps its beach closed on Sunday mornings between 8:30 am and noon, and Ocean Grove is still "dry", that is, the sale of all alcoholic beverages is prohibited.[26]

The Great Auditorium was constructed in 1894 and is mostly unchanged. The wooden building rests on bridge-like steel trusses laid on stone foundations. Aside from the trusses. It features numerous "barn door" entrances with colored glass, dormers, and panels that open for ventilation. Originally the Auditorium could accommodate an audience of almost 10,000, before many sections of smaller, wooden seats were replaced in later years with cushioned, theater-style seating having armrests; at present it can seat 6,250 persons.[17]

The Auditorium has been called, "the state’s most wondrous wooden structure, soaring and sweeping, alive with the sound of music".[11] Its superb acoustics, resulting from its barrel-vaulted wooden ceiling, have been widely acclaimed; famed conductor Leonard Bernstein once compared it to Carnegie Hall.[17] In the days before electronic amplification, this allowed a preacher to be heard throughout the vast space. The building still features lighting systems quite advanced for their time, such as the parallel rows of incandescent bulbs that adorn the varnished wood ceiling paneling. Also novel is a painted American flag (c. 1916) covered with light bulbs that flash in an undulating manner. Illuminated signs, possibly the very oldest surviving examples of that type (1894), proclaim "Holiness to the Lord" and "So be ye holy," a reflection of the emphasis at camp meetings. The illuminated Memorial Cross, was placed on the Auditorium's front facade at the end of World War II.[28]

The hall is surrounded by 114 tents, which are occupied from May to September, as has been the case since 1869. Each tent is connected to a shed containing a kitchen and bathroom; the sheds are also used to store the tents during the winter. They are in such demand that there is a waiting list of some ten years for summer rentals.[11][12]

The Auditorium's pipe organ is one of the 20 largest in the world.[29] Installed in 1908 by the organ builder Robert Hope-Jones, its components have been rebuilt and expanded several times, especially since resident organist Gordon Turk and curator John Shaw took their posts in 1974. Additions made in the 21st century include a 14-rank echo division in 2008, in an effort to broaden the resources necessary to play repertoire of many styles and periods, and to restore those stops unique to the instrument as Hope-Jones conceived it.[30] In the 2010s, the organ continues to be further enlarged and revoiced, with additions underwritten by donors.[31] As of July, 2018, the organ has five manuals, 202 ranks, and 12,200 total pipes.[32] About 75 percent of the original Hope-Jones pipework remains extant, according to John Shaw.

Prominent organists to have played the Ocean Grove Auditorium organ include Edwin H. Lemare, Pietro Yon, and Frederick Swann.[30] Celebrated organist Virgil Fox gave his last solo concert in the building in 1980. Turk and guest concert organists play free recitals on most Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons in July and August.[28]

A popular organ piece, often played in the early years of the organ, was "The Storm", which featured the stops of the organ for thunder, lightning, rain, and birds singing. An article in the New York Times from 1909 reports on the annoyance of some at the frequent repetition of the performances of the piece.[33]

Since 1980, the Auditorium has hosted an annual memorial service for New Jersey law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. The service includes a full Honor Guard, bagpipe procession, and singing by state high school choirs (Princeton High School and both West Windsor-Plainsboro High School choirs have performed in the past). Police, soldiers, National Guardsmen, executive-level officials, and the governor typically attend.

The Auditorium is also used during the month of June for high school graduation ceremonies.

From May to September of each year, 114 tents are erected around the Great Auditorium.[37] These tents form "Tent City," a tradition of the Camp Meeting Association that dates back to 1869. Each tent is connected to a shed containing a kitchen and bathroom; the sheds are also used to store the tents during the winter. Tents are in such demand that there is a waiting list of over ten years for summer rentals.[12] Rent runs from $4,000 to $6,000 per summer. All prospective tent inhabitants are interviewed. Subletting of tents is not allowed; dogs, cats, and barbecuing are also prohibited. Tent inhabitants do not have to be Methodist, but they do have to support the association's spiritual missions.[38][39]

The music is led by a volunteer choir, along with professional soloists Monica Ziglar, Martha Bartz, Jeremy Galyon, and Ronald Naldi.[40]Gordon Turk accompanies at the Hope-Jones organ. Jason C. Tramm is the musical director. Lewis A. Daniels Sr. (1927–2012), was director of music from 1966 to 2004.[41] Since 1955, the annual Choir Festival held in July has gathered thousands of church choir singers, predominantly from the northeastern U.S., to sing "to the glory of God".[13] In 1986, New York television station WNET featured the Choir Festival on its Summerfare program.[13] The Choir Festival is also a regular feature on the Sacred Classics radio broadcast.[40]

The Camp Meeting also offers a contemporary worship service, "Pavilion Praise," in the beach's Boardwalk Pavilion each Sunday morning. A Bible Hour is held each weekday morning in the Bishop Janes Tabernacle, built in 1877, adjacent to the Great Auditorium.[28]

"Bridgefest," an annual two-day event, brings contemporary Christian music to young people and their families. The event is promoted by New York–area radio station "Bridge FM" (WRDR-FM).[42]

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused extensive damage in Ocean Grove. Over half of the town's boardwalk was destroyed, and the town's fishing pier was significantly damaged.[43] Ocean Grove was denied Federal Emergency Management Agency funding because the Camp Meeting Association is a nonprofit organization. While nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive FEMA funding, Ocean Grove was denied funding because the boardwalk was classified as being used solely for recreational purposes.[44] The town formed a group called "Together" to address storm recovery. The group includes the Camp Meeting Association, the chamber of commerce, the homeowners association, the beautification committee, the historic society, the fishing club, and Ocean Grove United, a gay and lesbian group.[44][45]

Hurricane repairs are estimated to cost $3.5 million.[43] The "Together" campaign raised $1.5 million, including $750,000 for the boardwalk, $100,000 for the roof of the Great Auditorium, and $500,000 for architectural and structural repairs to Thornley Chapel. The Camp Meeting Association has appealed FEMA's funding rejection three times.[46] Federal officials also denied the Camp Meeting Association's request for funding in the wake of Hurricane Irene.[45][47]

In 2013, members of the gay-rights group Ocean Grove United and the OGCMA joined up to co-sponsor an event aimed at raising funds to rebuild Ocean Grove's hurricane-damaged boardwalk.[48]

The third appeal by OGCMA to FEMA, supported by some NJ politicians, was accepted. As MaryAnn Spoto elucidated on NJ.com 7/3/14: "Sandy destroyed about a third of Ocean Grove's nearly half-mile of boardwalk....FEMA's $2.3 million to Ocean Grove includes $1.13 million for that project as well as money for three other recovery projects."

From the late 1990s through 2000s, Ocean Grove saw the opening of a large number of gay-owned restaurants, hotels, and stores.[18] According to the New York Times, Ocean Grove's gay and Methodist populations coexisted peacefully until a 2007 controversy over whether gay couples could conduct civil unions at the Camp Meeting Association's Boardwalk Pavilion. Also according to The New York Times, "Ocean Grove has long been considered a community that embraced gay residents." In 2007, a representative of Garden State Equality, a LGBT rights advocacy organization, said: "I'm hearing from gay people all over the country who thought Ocean Grove was the leading light for gay tolerance and that's not the case anymore."[49]

In 2012, Christian actor Kirk Cameron gave a lecture in Ocean Grove on the subject of strengthening marriage.[50] Cameron's lecture sparked a protest by gay rights activists. After Cameron's speech, a lunch was arranged between members of the Camp Meeting Association and members of the gay community. Camp Meeting Association President Dale Whilden said, "This is an opportunity to show that we respect them." Democratic congressman Frank Pallone attended the event. Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality, noted: "We may not agree on everything, but we are, today, starting to see each other as human beings."[51]

In 2013, the Human Rights Campaign, a LGBT rights advocacy group, included Ocean Grove in its Municipal Equality Index, a study that scores 291 American cities based on their inclusivity of LGBT people. Ocean Grove scored 77 out of 100, representing the second highest score for cities located in New Jersey.[52][53]

In 2007, two lesbian couples asked to have their civil union ceremonies at the OGCMA's Boardwalk Pavilion. According to the New York Times, "the couples' requests were rejected, and they complained to the state's Division on Civil Rights, which began a discrimination investigation."[18] The complaint stated that Scott Rasmussen, on behalf of the OGCMA, informed the couple it would not permit them to use the OGCMA's facilities for a civil union.[54] In 2008, the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights found that there was probable cause to credit one of the two couples' complaints, but rejected the other.[55][56]

In an attempt to halt the state's investigation, the OGCMA filed a federal suit.[57] In the suit, the OGCMA wrote that it would be "thrust into government compelled expressive association with those who promote same-sex 'civil unions'" if it is forced to allow them at its facilities, and "such forced association would severely compromise the Association's desire to communicate to the general public a message consistent with its religious views on marriage and family." The OGCMA's motion was dismissed.[58]

Complicating the dispute over civil unions was the fact that Ocean Grove's boardwalk and beachfront were held in a 1908 ruling to be exempt from property tax because they "had been dedicated years ago by the association as a public highway."[59] The Boardwalk Pavilion lost its tax-exempt status in 2007 because the state ruled that it no longer met the requirements as a place open to all members of the public. From 1989 until the Pavilion lost its tax-exempt status, the OGCMA had received $500,000 in annual tax breaks through the state's Green Acres program. The boardwalk and beach remain tax-exempt.[49]

On January 12, 2012, Administrative Law Judge Solomon Metzger ruled that the Camp Meeting had violated the state's law against discrimination.[60][61] The OGCMA discontinued use of the pavilion for weddings after the controversy started.[62] The Association no longer offers any of its property to the general public as wedding venues.

^ abcdPage, Tim. Summerfare' Offers Choir Festival", The New York Times, July 30, 1986. Accessed June 30, 2015. "Ocean Grove, about six miles south of Long Branch, was founded in 1869 as a Methodist camp meeting ground; by the early 20th century it had been dubbed the 'Queen of Religious Resorts.'"

^Sullivan, Joseph F. "Ocean Grove tries to retain ideals, but not some civic burdens", The New York Times, August 22, 1982. Accessed August 8, 2012. "In 1979, however, the New Jersey Supreme Court found its charter unconstitutional because it decreed 'that in Ocean Grove the church shall be the state and the state shall be the church.' Since then, Ocean Grove has had to disband its police department and municipal court and to rely more on its parent community, Neptune Township. It has also had to drop a series of Sunday blue laws designed to enforce observance of the Sabbath and take down the chains that blocked automobiles from its entrances on that day."

^Gordon, Bill. "Soapbox; Can't We All Get Along? Evidently So.", The New York Times, May 30, 2004. Accessed August 8, 2012. "Ocean Grove is a dry town: No alcohol can be bought or sold. Although that can sometimes mean more drinking (people seem to bring their own bottles just about everywhere), the lack of readily available liquor and the lack of a commercial boardwalk tend to keep things quiet and relatively safe."

^"Organ Recital Too Noisy: Ocean Grove Cottages Say 'The Storm' Disturbs Their Naps", The New York Times, July 16, 1909. Accessed September 17, 2013. "Ocean Grove, July 15. – Ocean Grove's new pipe organ, the largest in the world, is causing trouble for its owners, the Camp Meeting Association. : An organ recital is one of the daily events of the Summer's musical programme and its feature is the daily playing by Will C. Macfarlane of "The Storm," a composition that shows of the organ to its best advantage. : But the cottagers and the hotel guests in the vicinity of the Auditorium have become surfeited with the organ's noise. They complain that it disturbs their afternoon naps and annoys them at tea-time. : They will appeal to the association and suggest that for "The Storm" be substituted something more soothing."

^Junior, Chris M. "Boss Caps Guitar Fest Opener", Asbury Park Press, January 20, 2006. Accessed June 1, 2018. "The brainchild of festival co-founder and artistic director David Spelman of Ocean Grove (below, second from left), The Nebraska Project, held at the World Financial Center's Winter Garden, featured various artists performing the songs from Springsteen's 1982 solo album, plus other Springsteen tunes that were written around the same time period."

Monmouth County, New Jersey

Monmouth County is a county located in Central New Jersey, in the United States within the New York metropolitan area, and the northernmost county along the Jersey Shore. As of the 2017 Census estimate, the county's population was 626,351, making it the state's fifth-most populous county, representing a decrease of 0.6% from the 2010 Census, when the population was enumerated at 630,380, in turn an increase of 15,079 from 615,301 at the 2000 Census. As of 2010, the county fell to the fifth-most populous county in the state, having been surpassed by Hudson County. Its county seat is Freehold Borough. The most populous place was Middletown Township, with 66,522 residents at the time of the 2010 Census, while Howell Township covered 61.21 square miles (158.5 km2), the largest total area of any municipality.

Ocean City, New Jersey

Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 11,701, reflecting a decline of 3,677 (-23.9%) from the 15,378 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 134 (-0.9%) from the 15,512 counted in the 1990 Census. In summer months, with an influx of tourists and second homeowners, there are estimated to be 115,000 to 130,000 within the city's borders.

Allenhurst, New Jersey

Allenhurst is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States named for resident Abner Allen and incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 26, 1897, from portions of Ocean Township. As of the 2010 United States Census, Allenhurst had 496 inhabitants, reflecting a decline of 222 (-31%) from the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 5% from the 1990 Census.
Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Deal Lake to the west, it is within close proximity to New York City and is a stop on the NJ Transit North Jersey Coast Line. The borough is at the center of a string of wealthy communities between Long Branch and Asbury Park with many historic homes built during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 2006, Allenhurst ranked 131st in Forbes magazine's list of the most expensive ZIP Codes in the United States.

Asbury Park, New Jersey

Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area.

Belmar, New Jersey

Belmar is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 5,794, reflecting a decline of 251 (-4.2%) from the 6,045 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 168 (+2.9%) from the 5,877 counted in the 1990 Census.

Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey

Cliffwood Beach is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Aberdeen Township, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 17,011. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 3,194.

Loch Arbour, New Jersey

Loch Arbour is a village in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, formed in 1957. It was named after Lochaber, Scotland. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village's population was 194, reflecting a decline of 86 (-30.7%) from the 280 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 100 (-26.3%) from the 380 counted in the 1990 Census. As of 2010, Loch Arbour was the third-smallest municipality in New Jersey in terms of area and was the fifth-smallest municipality by population in the state of New Jersey.

Neptune Township, New Jersey

Neptune Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 27,935, reflecting an increase of 245 (+0.9%) from the 27,690 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 458 (-1.6%) from the 28,148 counted in the 1990 Census.

Oakhurst, New Jersey

Oakhurst is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) within Ocean Township, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 3,995.

Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey

Ocean Township is a township located in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Ocean Township consists of three main unincorporated communities: Wanamassa, Oakhurst and Wayside. The township is divided into two zip codes, 07755 (Oakhurst) and 07712. Small portions have Allenhurst (07711), Deal (07723) and Long Branch (07740) zip codes.

Bradley Beach, New Jersey

Bradley Beach is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,298, reflecting a decline of 495 (-10.3%) from the 4,793 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 318 (+7.1%) from the 4,475 counted in the 1990 Census. The summer population can reach 30,000.

Lakewood Township, New Jersey

Lakewood Township is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States.

Manchester Township, New Jersey

Manchester Township is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. The township is noted for containing the Lakehurst Naval Air Station, the site of the infamous Hindenburg disaster of May 6, 1937. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 43,070, reflecting an increase of 4,142 (+10.6%) from the 38,928 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,952 (+8.2%) from the 35,976 counted in the 1990 Census. The 2010 population was the highest recorded in any decennial census.

Ocean Township, Ocean County, New Jersey

Ocean Township is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 8,332, reflecting an increase of 1,882 (+29.2%) from the 6,450 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,034 (+19.1%) from the 5,416 counted in the 1990 Census. The 2010 population was the highest recorded in any decennial census.

Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey

Point Pleasant Beach is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,665, reflecting a decline of 649 (-12.2%) from the 5,314 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 202 (+4.0%) from the 5,112 counted in the 1990 Census.

Seaside Heights, New Jersey

Seaside Heights is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 2,887, reflecting a decline of 268 (-8.5%) from the 3,155 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 789 (+33.3%) from the 2,366 counted in the 1990 Census. Seaside Heights is situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. During the summer, the borough attracts a crowd largely under the age of 21, drawn to a community with boardwalk entertainment and one of the few shore communities with sizable numbers of apartments, attracting as many as 65,000 people who are often out until early morning visiting bars and restaurants.

Jersey Shore

The Jersey Shore is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about 141 miles (227 km) of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May Point in the south. The region includes Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, and Cape May counties. Many New Jersey residents refer to it simply as "The Shore", as in to go or have done something "down the shore". While there is no defined border between North Jersey and South Jersey, the Raritan River, Manasquan River, or I-195 are often mentioned as the border, and as such, most of the shore region is located in South Jersey.

Boardwalk Hall

Boardwalk Hall, formerly known as the Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall, is an arena in Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. It was Atlantic City's primary convention center until the opening of the Atlantic City Convention Center in 1997. Boardwalk Hall was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1987. The venue seats 10,500 people for ice hockey, and at maximum capacity can accommodate 14,770 for concerts. Boardwalk Hall is the home of the Miss America Pageant.

Gordon Turk

Gordon Turk is a prominent American concert organist. He has played throughout the United States, made two concert tours in Japan, and performed frequently in Europe, including Ukraine and Russia, both as solo organist and with orchestra.

James A. Bradley

James Adam Bradley was a wealthy Manhattan brush manufacturer, financier, member of the New Jersey Senate, philanthropist, and real estate developer. He designed the resort destination of Asbury Park on the New Jersey Shore. Bradley was also involved in the development of Bradley Beach, which bears his name.